Welcome to DBSTalk

Welcome to DBSTalk. Our community covers all aspects of video delivery solutions including: Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS), Cable Television, and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV). We also have forums to discuss popular television programs, home theater equipment, and internet streaming service providers. Members of our community include experts who can help you solve technical problems, industry professionals, company representatives, and novices who are here to learn.

Like most online communities you must register to view or post in our community. Sign-up is a free and simple process that requires minimal information. Be a part of our community by signing in or creating an account. The Digital Bit Stream starts here!

For about a month I have been having an issue with one of two Hoppers not being able to find satellite signals. I can be watching tv with all channels available. When I go to change channels, an error message comes up that "Satellite signal has been lost." Try to switch back to the channel I was on and it shows the same message. After a reset, the Point Dish procedure will only find one or two satellites. For instance, tuner 1 only finds 119, tuner 2 only finds 119, and tuner 3 only finds 110. Or sometimes all three tuners find 129, or one of the others, but not all three.

The first tech that came out changed out the LNB on the dish. That worked for about 4 hours before the issue came up again. The second tech came and changed out the duo node on the outside of the house. Again, after a few hours the same problem came back again. Then this week, they changed out one Hopper that was having the most issues. Still having the satellite signal issue. And now, both Hoppers have the same problem.

The last tech said if changing the Hopper didn't work they would have to send out a master tech to find the problem. It has been two days and I have not heard anything.

I've had some weird issues which crop up if more than one receiver is connected to a router via ethernet. If that is the case, try disconnecting ethernet cables from the receivers and see if there is any improvement.

Sheesh, instead of patronizing the guy we could at least make suggestions...

Are there any sort of wall jacks or the likes on the line between the Hopper and the node? That can cause issues.

I am leaning towards cable/connector issues, as was previously mentioned. Especially if only one of the Hoppers is having issues. I would guess that the issue is between the Hopper and the node as the other Hopper is fine. So check for cabling issues and/or bad connectors and/or connectors that aren't supplied by Dish.

Sorry, but just now getting a chance to check the forum since I posted. Thanks for all the input.

The tech came late Friday afternoon. As is always the case, the system wasn't acting up when he arrived. I wasn't there but wife said he checked all connections inside and out. Found nothing so left. Just after he left, the issue started again. Wife called him and he returned. Couldn't find anyting obvious causing the problem, but did say that there were too many Joeys connected to one Hopper from when the other tech replaced it last week. Corrected that. When I got home the lost signal issue again started. Also noticed that one particular Joey was showing as being connected to every other location in the house. Also noticed that the signal issue only seemed to be happening when something was being recorded on the Hopper. Anyway, called the tech and left a message, but did not hear from him again.

Saturday turned on the tv and everything was fine. The one "everywhere" Joey was back to showing up only where it was supposed to. No signal issues. Worked well all weekend.

Well, the "loss of signal" issue is still occuring. It has happened three of four mornings this week since Monday. And again, only on one of two Hoppers. It appears that sat 110 and 119 are not affected, but all the loss is coming from 129, which is the majority of channels that I have. By the afternoon and evening everything is fine.

The regional supervisor of the installer/servicer handling this issue called Tuesday morning and asked if a tech had ever shown up. Told him he had last Friday, but the supervisor said that wasn't the master tech. He is still trying to get him scheduled to come look at the problem.

The master tech came Saturday. He asked if the other techs had changed out the cable. Told him no, that they changed everything else out. He went out a few minutes then came back in and said it was the cable. It was too small and worn out. He said he had told the other techs to start by checking the cable, but none did. He changed it out in about thirty minutes and everything has been working perfect since.

Well, the "working perfect" lasted until last Thursday. Had no problems since the cable had been changed out, but while watching the news on a local, the "lost satellite signal" screen kicked back in. I reset with the red button, and then with a hard reset by unplugging. No change. The next day, the "lost satellite signal" page was gone, but so were all the channels from the 129 satellite. It stayed that way all weekend. Called Dish Friday and a tech came out Sunday afternoon.

He checked all connections, said everything was good. He said he would "send a hit" to the affected Hopper. He did so, and all the channels were back. Two hours after he left, the "lost satellite signal" started again. It stayed that way all evening. By this morning the "lost satellite signal" was gone, and so again were all the channels from 129. Now waiting to find out from Dish what the next step is. Its beginning to sound to me like a software problem. There's no hardware left to change out.

Still no resolution with the loss of satellite signal. Tech visits are up to almost ten. Generally, the signal issue starts late evening, lasts thru early morning. Signal back on thru the day. Could it possibly have something to do with cool vs. warm temps? I'm grasping at straws.

Yes, many times. When going to the Check Switch screen, all three tuners will show that all three sats are available. After running the test, tuner 1 will only show 119, tuner 2 will show 110 and tuner 3 119. Doing Reset will not bring them back. Later, usually the next day, all three satellites will show up again.

Still no resolution with the loss of satellite signal. Tech visits are up to almost ten. Generally, the signal issue starts late evening, lasts thru early morning. Signal back on thru the day. Could it possibly have something to do with cool vs. warm temps? I'm grasping at straws.

Is there anything outside that may block the DISH antenna in the evenings causing the signal to be lost?

I had a customer once who's neighbor drove a semi and when the semi was parked in the driveway next door it caused partial signal loss because it was blocking part of the customer's LOS.

Please send me a PM and I'll be happy to see what I can do to get this corrected for you. Thanks!

I definitely had a moisture problem in a connector on the outside of my house.

I replaced the barrel connector and wrapped it in the sticky black tar-goo I use for outdoor long-throw wireless access point antennas, then wrapped that in outdoor use electrical tape. Not a problem since.

"Belligerent and numerous."

SlingTV, Tablo and Plex to Roku 3s and Chromecasts on a Vizio 42" in the living room and a Toshiba 32" in my bedroom. Xbox 360 client on a Westinghouse 42" in the game room. Tablets EVERYWHERE!